Support for Foster Carers
We recognise how important support is to all foster carers, regardless of the type of fostering being provided.
As a foster carer in Aberdeenshire you will have access to:
- A family placement worker
- The child’s social worker
- Practical assistance
- 24-hour support line
- Support groups
- Foster care newsletter
- Foster carer review
- The Fostering Network
- Support group for sons and daughters of foster carers
Family placement worker
As a foster carer you will have your own social worker, called a family placement worker, who will visit your family regularly.
They can offer you advice and will be available to talk to you about any problems you may encounter in your role as a foster carer.
Contact with your family placement worker will be the main form of supervision and support you will receive.
When you start fostering a supervision agreement will be drawn up which will detail what your expectations are.
Your family placement worker will visit you at least once every month but you will be able to discuss and agree with them if you feel you need these visits to be more frequent.
The child’s social worker
Any child placed with you will have a social worker whose role is to work with parents and foster carers in planning for the child.
This social worker has overall responsibility for the child. The child's social worker will also make visits to your home.
Practical assistance
Assistance can be given if you need equipment or furniture to look after a child in your home.
24-hour support line
We maintain a 24-hour support line for foster carers. As an approved foster carer you will be given the number for this.
By phoning the support line you can speak to a family placement worker who will be able to provide the advice and guidance you may need.
Support groups
There are a number of foster carer support groups meeting throughout Aberdeenshire.
The support groups meet at regular coffee mornings and a range of social events held throughout the year which may include a summer picnic or a Christmas meal.
All carers are encouraged to attend their local support group and take advantage of the opportunity to share experiences and keep informed of developments affecting foster carers in Aberdeenshire. These meetings are also an excellent chance to get training and share information with others.
Foster care newsletter
As an approved foster carer you will receive a regular newsletter.
This will keep you up-to-date with what’s been happening and inform you about any future developments.
Foster carer review
It is our responsibility to review all foster carers annually after their initial approval. The function of the foster carer review is
to assess how foster carers and their families are coping with the task- to look at and discuss any changes in your personal or family situation
- to review your ability to provide care for any child or young person placed with you
It is also an opportunity for you to share your views and assess whether you have been receiving a good service from us in your task of caring for children and young people.
We highly value the work undertaken by foster carers and, as well as allowing discussion of any difficulties that have arisen, the review is an opportunity to acknowledge your achievements.
The Fostering Network
The Fostering Network provide an independent service for foster carers to obtain advice and guidance on the service they are receiving. 
We have purchased individual membership of The Fostering Network for all our foster carers.
If you have any concerns and would like individual independent advice there is a Fostering Network Advice, Information and Mediation (AIM) officer in the Aberdeenshire area who will be able to support you with any issues you may have.
Support group for sons and daughters of foster carers
We recognise that the children of foster carers can also benefit from some support so we organise various activities to help them.
Your foster carer training will include a workshop for your children. This workshop will help them understand the issues they may experience when children in need of care come to live with them.
Download the Sons and Daughters Workshop leaflet
There is also a regular children's newsletter and groups are run during the summer for foster carer's children who are aged between 5 and 16.
